MUMBAI : The festive season is about to begin, here we bring you all the new and fresh happenings from the world of Bollywood

Pahuna - The Little Visitors' to release on Dec 7

 Priyanka Chopra's maiden Sikkimese production "Pahuna - The Little Visitors" will hit the screens on December 7.

It is the story of three children bonding together and making a new home for themselves after being separated from their parents while fleeing Nepal during an unrest.

Produced by Priyanka and her mother Madhu Chopra under their Purple Pebble Pictures banner, co-produced by Children's Film Society, India (CFSI), and directed by Paakhi A Tyrewala, the first look of "Pahuna - The Little Visitors" was unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival in May last year.

Madhu said in a statement: "This film is very special because it addresses the far reaching consequences for children when adults make harsh decisions. Also this story is relevant globally in its appeal."

Explaining the film's ethos, Tyrewala said: "We live in a tough world. Sometimes it's easier to just give up. Hope is what we all need. Like one of the characters in the film says, 'It's never all dark, there is always light'."

"'Pahuna' is full of hopes. That is the reason it resonated with audiences young and old across the globe and now it's releasing in the country it was made and meant for."

The movie received a promising response at the world premiere of the film at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last year, followed by a special screening at Indian Kaleidoscope Film Festival in New York.

Shakun Batra discussed film project on Osho with Aamir

 Filmmaker Shakun Batra has started working on his film based on the life of Osho, the spiritual leader Rajneesh, and has spoken to Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan about the project.

Asked if Shakun, the 'Kapoor & Sons' director, had discussed the project with him, Aamir said: "Yes, he has (discussed the project on Osho), but I am waiting to hear the script."

Aamir, who is quite excited about his upcoming film 'Thugs Of Hindostan', shares screen space with Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan for the first time in the film.

So, was he nervous about his performance before the Big B?

"I was excited and nervous at the same time working with Amit ji. On our first shot, I was a little nervous but then he is one of the very warm and generous persons with a dry sense of humour."

Asked if he would have taken up the film only because of Bachchan and not for his own character, Aamir said, "No. I have to be attached to the material first. But of course, rest was great, my character, dialogues, everything was very detailed and well- written."

"It ('Thugs of Hindostan') is a very universal and child-friendly film. Though there are action scenes, there is no blood shown and those action scenes are fun," he added.

Set in 1795, the story of the film is historical fiction. Aamir is playing the character named Firangi Mallah, a 'thug' (swindler) from Awadh. According to the actor, he has played the most challenging part of his career so far in the film.

The film releases on November 8.

"I have played the toughest role of my career in TOH. Though there are many challenging roles I have played in my career, narrating the character of Firangi Mallah was the toughest where I had to walk a very thin line."

Giving an insight into the character he played, Aamir shared, "He is a very unreliable person who is talking to everyone in such a manner that people believe him. He knows how to win the trust and then at some point he will stab you in the back."

Produced by Aditya Chopra of Yash Raj Films, 'Thugs of Hindostan' offers a visual treat and is counted as one of the most expensive films in Indian cinema. Therefore, the distributors have decided to raise the ticket price during the festive season to recover the investment as fast as possible.

Since such a decision will make the film inaccessible to the low-income groups, how does Aamir look at such matters?

"I personally believe that ticket price should be cheaper and cheaper so that a greater number of people can go and watch the film. It will be my dream to see an increasing number of economy theatre where maximum people can get access to the film. Alongside, there can be plush theatres as well."

"Having said that, TOH is an expensive film and I understand why the YRF distributors are doing this. But I would say that Indian audience has not seen such a spectacle of the film, so it would be worth their money," said the National award-winning actor.

 Athiya Shetty to spend 26th birthday working

 Actress Athiya Shetty, who will turn 26 on Monday, says she finds a feel-good factor about spending her special day working.

The actress is in Bhopal and will be shooting for the film "Motichoor Chaknachoor" with actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

"My most special birthday had to be the one when I turned 18 and I got the narration of my first ever film. I always try to do some kind of work on my birthday since it gives me great energy and happiness. I just feel good about it," Athiya said in a statement to leading publication.

"I did get a chance to take a day off and come back home, but I chose to work. I don't get excited about birthdays. I am not a party person. Just being with my loved ones and family is how I usually celebrate my birthday," she added.

Athiya is the daughter of actor Suniel Shetty. She started her film career with the 2015 film "Hero" and was later seen in "Mubarakan".

Her new film "Motichoor Chaknachoor" is being described as a romantic wedding comedy.

Anupam Kher conferred title by Boston business school

Veteran actor Anupam Kher was conferred a 'Distinguished Fellow' title at the Cambridge MIT Sloan School of Management here.

"Thank you IndiaGlobal at Cambridge MIT Sloan School... This honour gives me a further sense of responsibility towards my country. A lower middle class Kashmiri boy from Shimla has come a long way," Anupam tweeted on Sunday.

He also shared a few photographs from the event and he is seen holding up a frame which has details about the honour.

The full-day India Global Summit at MIT Sloan School of Management was an opportunity to learn about India's emerging influence in the global economy. Anupam was one of the key speakers.

The actor, who has featured in over 500 movies, has been busy shooting in New York for American series "New Amsterdam". Earlier, he resigned as chief of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) due to his work commitment.

Foremost thing for any artwork is engagement: Sujoy Ghosh

 National Award-winning filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh says engaging an audience must be the priority for any artwork, and the technicalities come later.

The "Kahaani" director is in support of a short films award -- Critics Choice Short Film Awards (CCSFA) -- constituted by the Film Critics Guild's. Ghosh believes critics' opinion on films are personal and subjective, whereas for the viewer, engagement is paramount.

Asked about how he sets the parameters for critical analysis of a movie, Ghosh told to the leading publication. "The first and foremost thing for any artwork is engagement. Later, we scrutinise every department of a film - screenplay, performance, cinematography and more because a technically perfect film at times fails to touch our heart. The first criteria is how a story holds our attention."

The Film Critics Guild is a registered association that brings film critics from different media like print, radio, broadcast and web portal with an intention to streamline the ethical and quality standards for film criticism in India.

As a film director, does the opinion of a film critic matter to him?

"The way I see film reviews is that a critic is an individual who has an opinion on a film, which means the view is very personal. There is nothing right or wrong assessment of the work that I, as a filmmaker, may or may not agree with. As a storyteller, that should not be a factor for me to keep in mind when I am making a film for a larger audience.

"However, I believe that evaluation of any piece of art whether it is cinema, painting, music is very subjective," he said.

CCSFA will be held in December. Names like Sriram Raghavan as well as critics like Anupama Chopra and Rajeev Masand have come on board for choosing the best short film.

Getting a producer for a short film can be quite a task for budding filmmakers because any short film does not generate box office revenue in the entertainment business.

Asked if giving award will give these new filmmakers a feel encouraged to make more short film content, Ghosh said: "Recovery of any investment can happen either in cash or in kind. So, as a producer, if I am investing in a short film that later goes on to win an award based on its merit, then that is also a return of my investment. This is how we can go forward one at step at a time."

Amitabh Bachchan to inaugurate KIFF

Australia would be the focus country of the 24th Kolkata International Film Festival, slated to be inaugurated by Bollywood's living legend Amitabh Bachchan in the presence of a galaxy of superstars of Indian cinema including Shah Rukh Khan here on November 10, the organisers announced on Saturday.

A carousal of 171 feature films, 150 shorts and documentaries from 70 countries would be on show at 16 auditoria in the city and Howrah with the 1967 Bengali classic 'Antony Firingee' being the inaugural movie of the eight-day festival.

Besides Bachchan, venerable Iranian director Majid Majidi, and Australian directors Simon Baker, Jill Bilcock and Philip Noyce would grace the opening ceremony, to be presided over by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Sanjay Dutt, Jaya Bachchan, Wahida Rehman, Nandita Das would also be present at the opening ceremony, said state youth and sports minister and KIFF chief advisor Aroop Biswas.

The best film would be given an award of Rs 51 lakh, and the best director Rs 21 lakh, with both receiving a golden trophy christened "Royal Bengal Tiger".

He said Antony Firingee, with Uttam Kumar and Tanuja in the lead, was chosen as the inaugural film to mark the 100 years of Bengali cinema.

Twenty six films from Australia would be on show, with Philip Noyce being honoured with a retrospective.

Four popular works of Iranian film maker Majidi will also be screened.

Bengali film directory giving details of the major celluloid ventures in the language would be published during the jamboree.

Nearly Rs 600 crore spent on '2.0', says Rajinikanth

The trailer of superstar Rajinikanth's forthcoming multilingual science-fiction action drama "2.0" was unveiled on Saturday at a grand event here.

A sequel to Shankar's 2010 blockbuster "Enthiran", the film has been produced by Lyca Productions and is gearing for release on November 29. 

"2.0" also stars Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Adil Hussain and Sudhanshu Pandey in important roles. 

Speaking at the trailer launch, Rajinikanth said the film has been made on a lavish budget of nearly Rs. 600 crore. 

"Mark my words, the film will be a super hit. Advance wishes to Shankar and Lyca Productions. Nearly Rs. 600 crore has been spent on the film. The film wouldn't have been possible without the support of Lyca," Rajinikanth said. 

He said that the makers spent lavishly on the film for the vision of Shankar.

"This is not a Rajinikanth film. The money has been spent on one man Shankar, who has never failed to entertain audiences. This is his vision and I laud Lyca Productions for backing him," he added. 

In the film, Rajinikanth plays a scientist and a robot. 

Speaking on the occasion, Shankar said audience will see Rajinikanth in multiple avatars and it'll be a treat to watch.

"Audiences will see him as scientist Vaseegaran, robot Chitti and 2.0 version of Chitti. There will also be a giant version of Chitti in the climax. We also have another version but we'd like to keep that as a surprise," he said. 

Shankar raved about Rajinikanth's commitment.

"When we were all set to shoot the climax in a stadium in Delhi, Rajini sir fell ill. Six months of planning had gone into the preparation of the climax which was supposed to be shot in 40 days. Despite his bad health, Rajini sir insisted that we go ahead with the shoot," Shankar said.

"We shot in extremely hot temperature. Rajini sir had to shoot wearing 12 kilo robotic suit. We were stunned by his commitment," he added. 

"2.0", which will release in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi, has music by AR Rahman. 

Akshay Kumar on '2.0': Wore more make-up than entire film career

Actor Akshay Kumar on Saturday said that his role in forthcoming multilingual science-fiction action drama "2.0" demanded him to wear more make-up than what he had worn in his entire career.


Akshay plays the antagonist in superstar Rajinikanth's "2.0", which marks his southern debut. 

Speaking at the trailer launch event here, Akshay said working on the project has been both challenging and fun. 

Akshay began his speech in Tamil amid a loud cheer from the audiences. He said he practiced for two hours to speak in Tamil. 

Quickly switching to English, Akshay said: "I can't express my feelings in words. I'm really thankful to Shankar sir and Lyca Productions for this opportunity." 

Talking about his role, he said: "It was a very challenging role and it took a toll on my body. But the pain and sacrifice was worth it. My character required around 4 hours of prosthetic make-up and another hour and a half to remove it. In my whole career, I've never put so much of make-up." 

The film, slated to release on November 29, in Tamil, Hindi and Telugu, also stars Amy Jackson, Adil Hussain and Sudhanshu Pandey in key roles. 

 Ravi Kisan feels Batla House is the best film in his career

 Actor Ravi Kishan, who will be seen working with actor John Abraham in "Batla House", says the upcoming film is one of the finest breaks of his career.

"I am playing a very strong role in this movie 'Batla House' and it is one of the finest break for me in my career and I feel very fortunate for this opportunity. The story is very intense... I'm playing a cop in the movie," Ravi said in a statement.

Ravi said it was a "lovely experience" working with John in the film.

The Bhojpuri star will also be seen in "Mohalla Assi", starring Sunny Deol and Sakshi Tanwar.

"This film is very beneficial for me in terms of performance and the character is very much realistic and heartfelt," he added.

 'Notes of a Dream...' has been a journey for me: A.R. Rahman

 Oscar-winning musician A.R. Rahman, whose biography "Notes of a Dream: The Authorized Biography of A.R. Rahman" was launched here, says the book has been a journey for him and took him to those corners of his life which have remained candid for a long time.

Written by author Krishna Trilok, the biography in association with Landmark and Penguin Random House was launched here on Saturday. 

"'Notes of a Dream' has been a journey for me that took me to those corners of my life which have remained candid for a long time. The insightful conversations with Krishna Trilok have unraveled parts of my creative and personal life which are not known to many," Rahman said in a statement.

He said he is humbled by the people who have showered their love and prayers on him by loving my work.

"Nothing could be possible without their acceptance. Hope this book creates a sense of positivity, perseverance, and love among the readers. It is an uplifting and balancing act of words put together in soothing sentences by Trilok," he added.

Trilok called it a magical journey as an author to be able to tell the story of Rahman. 

"Hearing this legend talk about so many parts of his professional and personal life, his way of looking at the world and the universe, the future, was a song in itself. This journey of making it happen was nothing short of a dream," he added.

'Badhaai Ho' mints Rs 100 cr, boosts Ayushmann's confidence

Congratulations are in order for the team of "Badhaai Ho" as the movie has crossed the Rs 100 crore mark at the box office. Actor Ayushmann Khurrana says it validates his choice of scripts.

"It gives me more confidence that my script selection is right. I've always made my own decisions and selected a script on my own conviction. It's a great validation and it's a great boost to my confidence as far as choosing the scripts are concerned," Ayushmann said in a statement to IANS.

In "Badhaai Ho", the actor, who has chosen unconventional scripts since debuting with "Vicky Donor" -- on sperm donation -- stars as a grown-up son dealing with the dilemma of dealing with the society when his parents tell him they are expecting a child.

The movie has been embraced by the audience for its sensitive handling of a subject not often talked about in cinema, as well as for its gripping dialogues, entertaining screenplay and endearing performances by Ayushmann and Sanya Malhotra as well as veterans like Surekha Sikri, Neena Gupta and Gajraj Rao.

"Badhaai Ho" is the second Rs 100 crore film by Junglee Pictures after Alia Bhatt-starrer "Raazi". The movie entered the Rs 100 crore club on its seventeenth day since the release, read a statement.

Director Amit Ravindernath Sharma said the film was made with utmost honesty and conviction that came from each person involved on the project.

"I think the same translated on-screen and we are grateful for all the love the film has received," Sharma said.

The film's co-producer Priti Shahani added: "The response is overwhelming. Our aim at Junglee Pictures has always been to tell engaging stories in the most entertaining manner. After 'Raazi', 'Badhaai Ho' has made 2018 extra special for us."

Akshay Kumar signs a three-film deal with Fox Star Studios

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has signed a slate of three films to be jointly produced by Fox Star Studios and Cape Of Good Films.

The first film to come off this partnership will be India's first space film, "Mission Mangal", which is in collaboration with R. Balki and the film will be directed by Jagan Shakti. The shoot for "Mission Mangal" will begin in mid-November.

Akshay said in a statement: "I am delighted to find a new creative partner in Fox Star Studios and am looking forward to creating a collaboration that will deliver a meaningful and entertaining cinematic experience. With our combined energies, we hope to create content that not only excites but also empowers."

"Jolly LLB 2" had marked a fruitful association between the two last year.

"It gives me great pleasure to take our association with Akshay further with this three-film partnership with Cape Of Good Films. Akshay is one of the most successful actors who has a fantastic understanding of scripts and changing audience preferences. We are looking forward to an unprecedented collaboration with the National Award-winning actor," said Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star Studios.

(Source: IANS)